Things to see and do Saint-Pierre

Uninhabited since the 1960s, Île aux Marins once had a population of nearly 600 and was an important economic center for cod fishing. To visit this island, its landscapes and its restored fishermen's houses, an accompanied excursion is preferable and allows you to spend a very pleasant moment (departures are from the shuttle dock to the island in Saint-Pierre). Don't forget your picnic! The Notre-Dame-des-Marins church is a curiosity, but is only accessible through a guided tour. For those who wish to extend their stay on the island, it is possible to stay in the SPA house (capacity of 15 persons) and the Marie-Ange house (capacity of 20 persons), both fully equipped (rental available only from May to mid-October, rates per person, reservation required).

To learn more about this small island transformed into a sort of ecomuseum of the fishermen of the past, a visit to the Archipelitude museum is a must. It presents a collection of everyday objects used at the time. You can also visit other rehabilitated buildings, such as the Maison grise (kitchen of the past and a room dedicated to dory engines) and the Maison Jézéquel, which is now a cafeteria on the island but also an exhibition place (sail making tools and salt works of the past), the town hall, the school, the wash house, the Garage des Pompes or the municipal workshop.

You can also see the bow of the Transpacific wreck, a cargo ship whose carcass moves with the tides.

L'Arche includes the museum and the archives department. The permanent exhibits include prehistoric remains discovered in the soil of Anse à Henry and the bicentennial history of the archipelago. One of the most notable pieces is a guillotine that arrived in Saint-Pierre following a resounding trial in 1889. Several cultural events are organized there, not to mention the various walking tours offered from May to October.

A witness of the Basque origin of many inhabitants of the archipelago, this typical pediment is the place of practice of several traditional sports of the same origin, such as the Basque pelota. The pediment is built on the place Richard Briand, a place of festivities at the Basque Party.

The website of the tourist office is a mine of information to prepare your stay in the French archipelago. There is even an application for smartphones, SPM Exception. For suggestions of tours and visits, consult the "Travel ideas" section. You can download the tourist brochure. Two tourist information centers are open to the public, one in Saint-Pierre on Place du Général de Gaulle and the other in Miquelon on Place des Ardilliers.

Once the center of economic activity on the island of Saint-Pierre, the Place du Général de Gaulle is now very quiet, but still remains the main square of the city, a real meeting place and gathering place for the inhabitants. Located just in front of the port of Saint-Pierre, it is the scene of the raising of the flag and the festivities during the national holiday of July 14, which is perhaps even more moving here in this small French corner of the American coast.

At the beginning of the 18th century, a fortress was built on this point, facing the sea, to defend the city from attackers. In the 19th century, the fortress no longer existed, but was replaced by a cannon battery during the Crimean War, which of course is no longer in use but symbolically guards the port. Next door, the Salines are huts that serve as shelters for the fishermen's equipment. Then not far away is a lighthouse accessible on foot. It is not open to the public, but it is located at the end of a jetty, which makes for a pleasant stroll.

After the liberation of the Archipelago by the Forces of France Libre and the French Free Naval Forces in 1941, this small fort was built as observation post on the city of Saint-Pierre. Here you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city.